Dear Parents and Guardians, Welcome to FDK in Room 110 at Maurice Cody Public School!

We are looking forward to seeing your child this September. All Senior Kindergarten students begin school on the first day of school. During the first week of school, there is a staggered entry for all Junior Kindergarten students. This format allows us to better accommodate each childs needs during his/her transition to school. Your childs first day of school is: Tuesday, September 3, 2013 / Wednesday, September 4, 2013 / Thursday, September 5, 2013 / Friday, September 6, 2013 Below is our school schedule. You will note that our kindergarten schedule is slightly different than the Grade 1-6 schedule. This allows for easier pick ups and drop offs if you have more than one child at our school. 2013-2014 MAURICE CODY PUBLIC SCHOOL SCHEDULE KINDERGARTEN GRADES 1-6 SUPERVISION 8:40-8:55 am SUPERVISION 8:30-8:40 am ATTENDANCE 8:55 am ENTRY 8:40-8:45 am PERIOD 1 8:55-9:25 am PERIOD 1 8:45-9:25 am PERIOD 2 9:25-9:55 am PERIOD 2 9:25-10:05 am PERIOD 3 9:55-10:25 am RECESS 10:05-10:20 am PERIOD 4 10:25-10:55 am PERIOD 3 10:20-11:00 am PERIOD 5 10:55-11:25 am PERIOD 4 11:00-11:30 am LUNCH 11:25 am-12:45 pm LUNCH 11:30 am-12:35 pm SUPERVISION 12:30-12:45 pm SUPERVISION 12:20-12:35 pm ATTENDANCE 12:45 pm ENTRY 12:35-12:40 pm PERIOD 6 12:45-1:15 pm PERIOD 5 12:40-1:20 pm PERIOD 7 1:15-1:45 pm PERIOD 6 1:20-2:00 pm PERIOD 8 1:45-2:15 pm RECESS 2:00-2:15 pm PERIOD 9 2:15-2:45 pm PERIOD 7 2:15-2:55 pm PERIOD 10 2:45-3:15 pm PERIOD 8 2:55-3:25 pm

DROP OFF ROUTINE FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL (September 3-6, 2013) Maurice Cody Child Care (MCCC) Students: Child care students that are being dropped off between 7:00-8:15 am should report to their designated before school child care room where s/he will be met by the child care staff. If your child arrives between 8:15-8:55 am, the childcare staff will meet him/her in the Old Kindie Yard (Front East). If your child will not be attending child care in the morning please follow Non-MCCC Student instructions below. Non-MCCC Students: Students that are not in child care at our school should come straight to our classroom between 8:408:55 in the morning. If your child has gone home for lunch, drop off your child in Sydneys yard between 12:30-12:45 in the afternoon. Students are not allowed in the kindergarten yards until teachers and ECEs are present. We kindly ask that you wait until the gate is opened for your child. REGULAR DROP OFF ROUTINE KINDERGARTEN DROP OFF ROUTINE (8:40-8:55 am) CLASSROOM MORNING AFTERNOON 108, 109, 100 OLD KINDIE (FRONT EAST) SYDNEYS (FRONT WEST) 101, 110, B20, B21 SYDNEYS (FRONT WEST) OLD KINDIE (FRONT EAST)

GATE BELSIZE BELSIZE

Beginning Monday, September 9th, your child will be met outside in the morning and afternoon in his/her designated kindergarten yard by a kindergarten teacher and his/her classroom early childhood educator. If your child is having difficulty please let the teacher at the gate know what room your child is in and s/he will get your childs ECE to help you. We have found that a quick goodbye works best if your child is upset as children settle down shortly after parents are out of sight. The drop off routine for MCCC students will remain the same as the first week. PICK UP ROUTINE AT LUNCH TIME AND AFTER SCHOOL The chart below indicates from what doors your child will be dismissed at lunch and the end of the school day. KINDERGARTEN PICK UP ROUTINE (LUNCH 11:25 am) (DISMISSAL 3:15 pm) CLASSROOM DOORS LOCATION 100, 101, 110 WEST BACKYARD DOORS NORTH SIDE (BACK OF SCHOOL) 108, 109, B20, B21 EAST BACKYARD DOORS NORTH SIDE (BACK OF SCHOOL) MCCC students will be picked up from our classroom by the child care staff and brought outside for outdoor play until 4:00 pm. They will then be brought back in to a designated after school child care room until 6:00 pm. If your child is in MCCC, you will be receiving information from them regarding drop off and pick up locations.

FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM Your child will be in school for many years. We want to make our students early school experience a positive one. Please note that although the Kindergarten program is now full day, you still have the option to send your child for only half the day. You may feel that your child would benefit from a nap or quiet time in the afternoon. You know your child best and therefore we are happy to work with you to ensure that this program meets your childs needs. This tailored approach has worked successfully for some of our younger students this past year. LUNCH Students going home for lunch are dismissed at 11:25 am from the doors leading to the backyard of our school. Child care students and students that need to stay at school for lunch are monitored by one supervisor in our classroom. If your child will be staying for lunch full or part-time, s/he will need a labeled lunch box. Please also label all the lids and bottoms of his/her reusable containers. When choosing a lunch box and containers please ensure that they are child-friendly (easy for your child to open and close). The supervisor will of course help students in need of assistance. If you are a stay-athome parent or if there is a caregiver at home, we recommend having your child go home for lunch as this offers him/her a quiet place to eat as well as individual attention. Please ensure that your child has had a bathroom break before returning to school in the afternoon as we meet them outside after lunch. SNACK BOX Our students will be eating a morning and an afternoon snack in our classroom. Please pack healthy snacks that are nut and peanut-free in a labeled snack bag. Fruits, vegetables, cheese, crackers, biscuits, mini muffins, and granola bars are all good choices. Please do not send any messy snacks (e.g., yoghurt, jello, pudding, sticky fruit strips etc.) as our room does not get swept and mopped after each snack break. WATER BOTTLE Your child will also need a labeled, spill-proof, reusable water bottle. Ensure that it is washed and filled every day. S/he will be using it throughout the day as well as during snack and lunchtime. Please do not send any other drinks to school. BACKPACK Help your child pick a large backpack to wear to and from school every day. It should be big enough to fit a lunch box, snack box, some clothing, a library book and a communication folder. Choose one that will be easy for your child to load and unload as well as one s/he can zip and unzip independently. SHOES If you will be purchasing new shoes for your child, please choose a lace-free option (e.g., Velcro/slipon). S/he will be taking them off and putting them on many times during the day, therefore please try to pick ones that are comfortable and easy for your child to manage autonomously.

JACKET If you will be buying a new jacket for your child, please think about picking one without a removable liner. We find that this type of jacket is really hard for young children to put on and take off. EXTRA CLOTHING Please send an extra set of clothing (underwear, pants, top and socks) in a large zippered bag labeled with your childs name. We will keep this at school to use if needed. GETTING READY FOR KINDERGARTEN We know that the transition to Kindergarten can be a difficult one for some children. You can help your child by visiting our playgrounds over the summer so that s/he begins to feel more at home here. Talk to your child about Kindergarten positively and discuss some of the centres (Big Blocks, Drama, Painting, Drawing Table, Writing Centre, Play Dough Table, Bin Toys, Listening Centre, Book Centre, Water Table, and Sand Table) s/he would like to explore in our classroom. Although it is not necessary for your child to know how to write his/her name before entering school, if interested s/he can practice tracing/writing it in upper case. Likewise, have your child try putting on and taking off his/her shoes; opening and closing snack containers; as well as zipping and unzipping clothing. Finally, if your child is still having the occasional accident, help him/her to become fully toilet trained by the start of school. Ensure that s/he is comfortable going to the bathroom on his/her own and washing his/her hands afterwards independently. These activities will help your child feel more confident at school. We are looking forward to helping your child grow academically as well as socially and emotionally. Most of all, we want your child to love his/her school! We hope that you and your child have a wonderful summer and we look forward to a great school year. Sincerely,